21 February 2006

Dear Amy....

A 'phobe asks Chicago Tribune advice columnist Dear Amy about how to let the 'mos who've moved in, improved property values, shoveled her car out, know that they shouldn't engage in the most basic public intimate behavior possible ("kiss each other goodbye and embrace as they each left for work") in the neighborhood.

Even though the situation's completely different, it reminds me of the neighbor we had across the street in Memphis. (That's him with the sign. Here's another one, but no audio links there.) He and his wife brought us over freshed baked bread at Christmas one year. And a book telling us how we could "change." We declined both gifts -- and the bread smelled yummy, too. I wrote him a "please don't do stuff like that" letter immediately thereafter.